The Gospel of Tohru
by Rin4
Summary: *chap 2 up* One night after a late shift, Honda Tohru rescues a kidnapped girl. Thus Tohru meets Himitsu Naname. Afterwards she will come to know that it’s not so much the arrival of the girl that brings change to the Souma family, but secrets and relat
1. The Day She Touched Pain

The Gospel of Tohru  
  
Ah, thank you for taking interest in my 'fic! I'm Rin and this is my email ---( rin@your-house.com, also if it's not too much of a bother, please REVIEW~! And also, please read the notes at the end of this chapter, it's important! Thanks! ^___^  
  
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One - The Day She Touched Pain  
  
Honda Tohru walked down the road gingerly, limping slightly. She had accidentally run into a wall at work while holding a mountain of boxes and had sprained her foot. Just thinking about it made her giggle slightly.  
  
I'd better make sure to hide this when I get home, she thought. Or Yuki-kun will worry and Kyo-kun will call me 'baka' again.  
  
She tried applying more pressure to the foot but winced, as the pain shot up her leg. Just as she was contemplating what to do, when the headlights of a car swerving sharply around the corner caught her fully across the face. Tohru gasped. It was one of those really large cars, what were they called again? Ah that's it, a limousine!  
  
Almost immediately her mind began to go haywire, as she imagined the numerous possibilities of important and glamorous people that car might hold. Then to her shock, she saw the car screech to a sudden halt across the street as one of the doors looked as though it was being forced open mid-motion.  
  
It was dark but Tohru could see that someone - a girl dressed in a incredibly elegant kimono - had scrambled out of the car. To her shock, Tohru saw that she had a gag around her mouth as she stumbled blindly across the road. Two dark figures got out of the car behind her and looked as though to follow the girl, but other cars on the road drawn by the commotion were beginning to honk their horns. Cursing loudly, the two men got back into the car and the car disappeared with frantic speed.  
  
The girl had stumbled across the road, and with her hands still bound and pressed against her mouth, she watched the car go. She shivered on her feet and before Tohru could rush to her aid, she had already collapsed on the sidewalk.  
  
Tohru peeled back the gag and tried to free the girl's hand. The girl's eyes fluttered open faintly. "Daijoubu?" Tohru asked anxiously.  
  
The girl's mouth opened but there was no sound. Those - gray - eyes were strangely serene through the pallor of her face. The girl was so light - almost frighteningly so, and so pale as though she held a doll on her lap. The mouth moved again and then; ".sumimasen."  
  
The long fingers touched the asphalt ground as the girl tried to righten herself. She climbed - swayingly - to her feet. "Thank you."  
  
"AH!" Tohru gasped. "But I didn't do anything!"  
  
The girl smiled at her, the smile warm through the pallor of her face. To Tohru's worry, she also noticed that she was shaking - shaking with exhaustion. Despite this, she bowed deeply to Tohru, long blue-black hair sliding past her slender shoulders. "Hajimemashite. My name is Himitsu Naname."  
  
"No, don't Naname-san." Tohru hurried to help righten the trembling figure. "I'm Honda Tohru."  
  
Naname's clear gray eyes studied. "Ah," she said smoothly. "Is that so? Then I'm afraid I will have to trouble you further. Could you take me somewhere?"  
  
Tohru began to sweatdrop. On one hand she would never think to leave a girl like this on the streets alone, but yet to take her to Shigure's house- that would be too presumptuous. Tohru pressed her hands together, trying to work up with a suitable solution. Her impromptu brainstorming was broken by the sound of Naname's soft voice and the touch of her hand.  
  
"I only meant," Naname said. "If you could direct me to my house. I am. unfamiliar with the geography."  
  
"Oh, hai! Of course." Tohru was relieved. "How can I help you? Where do you need to go?"  
  
Naname gave her directions and Tohru took her to the street- it was a familiar street but the particular house Naname indicated, she had never noticed before. Of course she had seen the Tori gate many times, but had never gone inside. But now following Naname she saw that through the little clearing, there was a traditional Japanese house, as well as what seemed to be the remains of a temple.  
  
"You live here?" Tohru asked incredulously. "There doesn't appear to be any people."  
  
Naname said; "This is my family house. but my family is away. I am the first to return." The way she said this was slightly sad. To Tohru's eyes, it appeared as though her clear gray eyes had gone dark. But perhaps that was only a trick of the fading light.  
  
"Thank you Honda-san." Naname said. She touched Tohru's hand slightly with her fingers. "I shall not forget. Good bye."  
  
"Good bye Naname-san." Tohru watched as Naname lifted a hand slightly in a wave before disappearing into that big, dark house where there were no lights. It was then that a coldness came to Tohru's heart, a sudden shiver. Pity welled up in her heart but there was hardly anything to be done.  
  
Tohru lingered awhile, looking up at the forbidding house, before turning away. She walked quickly away from the road. She wouldn't admit it then, but it felt as though there was something to run from. But more importantly, there was something to look forward to. Something, someone, someones who were waiting. At home.  
  
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"The weather seems better today!" Tohru said brightly, the next morning as she walked to school with Yuki and Kyo, one on either side of her.  
  
"Hn." Kyo muttered, though this had been said for his benefit. The previous day had been gloomy, as though the weather man couldn't decide whether he should make it rain or not. There had been on and off tiny drizzles, and much incomprehensible weather which made Kyo miserable and washing laundry rather difficult.  
  
"Ah that's true Honda-san." Yuki said, as he looked up at the bright blue sky. "Today will be a good day for working in the field."  
  
Tohru clasped her hand. "Are you going to see it after school? I will come to help too."  
  
"Oi." Kyo's voice broke in. "Can you smell something?"  
  
The other two raised their noses. A frown crossed Yuki's face. "It feels as though something is-"  
  
"EEK!" Tohru cried. "Something is burning!"  
  
"A house." Yuki indicated. "I think." The three looked down the road. There were a cluster of people gathered around a taped off area. There was also a fire engine there as well as several police cars. Tohru frowned heavily. This road. it looked different in daylight but.  
  
"Naname-san!" She gasped. To Yuki and Kyo's shock she took suddenly down the road. "Sumimasen, sumimasen!" She said to the people she pushed aside the crowd, Yuki and Kyo hot at her heels. She pressed herself against the tape and all but yelled at the policeman; "Was anyone hurt?"  
  
"Er?" The young officer looked down on her, clearly not expecting a girl in a school uniform to be shouting at him.  
  
"Hurt!" Tohru said. "Was anyone hurt policeman-san?"  
  
"Honda-san."  
  
It was a soft, reassuringly familiar voice. "Naname-san!" Tohru clasped the hand of the girl - dressed in a different, but equally elegant kimono - who drew stares from the crowd with her beauty.  
  
"Ano, who is this Honda-san?" Yuki's quiet voice came from beside her. Tohru wheeled around. "Oh! I forgot. This is Naname-san. These are my friends Sohma Yuki and Sohma Kyo."  
  
Naname's gray eyes appraised them. Her lips moved around the world 'Sohma' before she smiled. She bowed to them, deeper than was customary. "I am indebted to you. My name is Himitsu Naname."  
  
Kyo looked confused, but Yuki's head came up suddenly. His eyes widened as he stared down at Naname's bowed blue-black head, before narrowing. He then said formally, courteously. "It is good to meet you Himitsu-san."  
  
Naname rose. Tohru noted that she was still much to pale, but in the sunlight she looked better, her smile brighter. The ghost of that sad smile seemed to have faded with the gone night.  
  
"Naname-sama!"  
  
It was not a yell, but it cut through the crowd. Like the man who came following. He was tall, and broad-shouldered with a hair of long, shockingly pale blond. To the crowd's shock, he came forward immediately and promptly fell to his knees at Naname's feet. "Forgive me." Tohru heard his faint whisper. "I came to late."  
  
Naname's hand briefly touched his head. "It doesn't matter Shouji. It's good that you are here now." She murmured to a passing policeman. "He is a relative of mine."  
  
"And it will be all right you think?" The officer asked. Naname nodded. Shouji had come to stand, tall and intimidating by her side. The policeman passed her a card. "Please call me if you think of anything."  
  
Naname nodded and thanked him. Then she said softly to Tohru; "It seems someone tried to burn down my house last night. Thankfully I smelt the smoke and got out. But it does seem as though I've suddenly been deprived of a place to live."  
  
Tohru thought back to the night before where Naname had run out of the black car, and then looked at Shouji. There were many questions she wanted to ask, but none of them seemed appropriate.  
  
Naname was murmuring softly to Shouji; ".what will obaasan say?" Tohru couldn't hear Shouji's reply but then Naname said; "Certainly, we'll have to postpone Ryo's visit." Shouji said; "What shall we do, Naname-sama?"  
  
Naname bit her lip. Her clear gray eyes had become clouded, full of anxiousness. Her hands clutched the sleeves of her kimono. A funny wish came to Tohru though she hardly dared to voice it.  
  
But Yuki was speaking softly; "Perhaps you could come and stay with us for awhile? Until your grandmother calls from Kyoto?"  
  
Kyo jumped about a mile, his hair standing on you. "Oi! What are you doing?" Tohru was equally shocked, though pleased. Naname turned to stare at Yuki.  
  
"Are you sure?" She asked. "I had, of course, intended on making my respects. but this would be discourteous."  
  
Yuki said softly; "I no longer live at the Main House." Once again both Kyo and Tohru jumped.  
  
Does this mean. she knows about the Souma family? Tohru thought frantically. But her last name is Himitsu. what a strange name.  
  
But both Naname and Shouji were nodding. Naname's gray eyes rested gently on Yuki's slightly bowed head. Then she said; "I accept." Both she and Shouji sank to their knees. "I must thank you again. We are too much indebted to you."  
  
Yuki said, "Not at all."  
  
Naname turned slightly on her knees. "And to Honda-san too, who I have not thanked sufficiently for saving me yesterday."  
  
Tohru waved her hands frantically. "No, no! Please, please get up!"  
  
Naname was helped to her feet by Shouji. Yuki gave them the address and Naname wrote it down in a piece of paper and placed it within the folds of her kimono.  
  
"And take a taxi this time." Tohru said, remembering that Naname hardly knew any street names. Naname smiled, laughed a little ruefully and said; "I'll remember that. But Honda-san. you had better hurry. If I remember correctly school begins in five minutes."  
  
"HA?" Tohru stared down at her watch, before jumping up in shock. "7:55?! We're late! Yuki-kun! Kyo-kun! Bye bye Naname-san, Shouji-kun!"  
  
"Bye Honda-san!" Naname lifted her hand, smiling brightly as she watched the three figures take off at break-neck speed down the road.  
  
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She didn't get the occasion to speak to Yuki again, but as soon as they finished school; both she and Kyo pounced on him.  
  
"What the hell was that about?" Kyo shouted. "You all but told her our secret!"  
  
"I did not, baka neko." Yuki said impatiently. "She knew it already."  
  
"Don't call me a 'baka ne-" WHAT?!"  
  
"Naname-san knows about the Jyunnishi, Yuki-kun?" Tohru added, much interested.  
  
"Hai." Yuki said. "How shall I explain this?" His brow furrowed in thought as he tilted back his purple head. "I wondered if you recognized her name Kyo."  
  
"Huh?" Kyo asked. "Should I?"  
  
"Yes." Yuki nodded. "Himitsu isn't her last name. You know what that world means, don't you?"  
  
"Secret." Tohru provided.  
  
Yuki nodded. "No one in the Souma family knows what her real family name is. Except for maybe Akito." He paused here, and there was a queer look in his eyes. Then he forged on, "But the existence of that family has always been known to the Soumas. There isn't many of them, though."  
  
"Do you mean they are something like the Souma family?"  
  
Yuki shook his head. "Not really. Like I said, there are very few of them. Scattered. But in a way yes, because they are cursed too."  
  
"Himitsu." Kyo was saying. "I think."  
  
"Yes, you should." Yuki said. "They are not powerful so to the Soumas they are of little consequence. But nonetheless, occasionally they are spoken of. That man - Shouji - he must be her guard. It's been a long time since there was one of them here in this city. Not since."  
  
There was a puzzled look in his eyes. "Not since I was very, very young. Practically a baby. There was another girl." Then he shrugged. "I don't know what happened to her."  
  
"How are they cursed, Yuki-kun?" Tohru whispered.  
  
"They can take the pain of others by a touch." Yuki said. "I've never seen it done, but once I heard Hatori speak of it."  
  
"Take pain?" Tohru said softly, intoning each world separately. The afternoon had become rather dark suddenly. "Like what?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Yuki said. "But I've heard of them absorbing other people's illnesses. and pains. Fears."  
  
"That's- that's terrible!" Tohru gasped. She covered her mouth with her hands. Even Kyo was looking aghast. "Poor Naname-san! She must feel so. unhappy. Can she. can she share in other people's happiness too?"  
  
Yuki said; "I'm not sure."  
  
"I would like, if I could, to share my happiness with Naname-san." Tohru said reflectingly. Yuki smiled. The look in his eyes was very soft. "You always feel so much for others."  
  
Tohru was surprised and looked up at Yuki with a faint blush. "Huh?"  
  
But Yuki only smiled, before turning away. Then in a different voice he said; "Come on, it's time to go home. Anything you want, I'm sure you can ask Naname-san herself."  
  
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When they got home, the first thing they saw was Shouji sitting out on the veranda in what was usually Kyo's sulking spot. He bowed to them slightly as they passed by him.  
  
"Ah. Naname-san?" Tohru asked.  
  
"She is speaking with Shigure-sama." Shouji replied. His eyes were surprisingly blue, but they were incredibly distant. Matching with his pale blond hair, Tohru thought that he looked like some old-age warrior of the cold regions, where the ice never melted.  
  
Yuki was pulling open the sliding door. "Tadaima."  
  
"Ah Yuki! Tohru-kun! Kyo-kun! Look whose come to visit!" Shigure presented Naname with a flourishing gesture. Very accordingly, Naname bowed.  
  
Yuki and Kyo sweatdropped.  
  
We told her to come, you idiot - from Kyo.  
  
Try not to pretend you're best friends already - from Yuki.  
  
Tohru rushed forward and clasped Naname by the hands. She said worriedly; "Are you in any pain, Naname-san? Are you all right?"  
  
Naname stared up at her, shocked. Then the expression in her eyes softened. "I am fine, Honda-san. Do not worry so much." She patted Tohru's hand on hers, before pulling away. She smiled brightly. "I am really much stronger than I look!"  
  
Tohru laughed.  
  
"That's right, Naname-chan." Shigure was saying easily in the background. "You haven't told us how old you are!"  
  
"chan?" Tohru, Yuki and Kyo thought as one.  
  
"Ah!" Naname laughed. "I haven't. I am seventeen this year."  
  
She's about the same age as us! Tohru thought, gasping. She looks so much older!  
  
"So, so." Shigure said. He leaned forward suddenly across the table to where Naname was kneeling, opposite him. "What to you think about being the model for the cover of my new novel? It's a high school romance about a girl who talks to animals-"  
  
"SHIGURE!" Yuki and Kyo said. Yuki added; "You are such an embarrassment."  
  
Shouji had come in and was watching the proceeding with an amused eye. Then he lowered his eyes and came to kneel beside Naname's form. They spoke softly, and when she said something he shook his head, reprimanding her with soft words. Tohru thought; Despite his submissiveness he is actually very mature. He cares for Naname-san like a servant, but actually he is much more of a father, or a brother.  
  
"I have called home to obaasan." Naname said. "And she says she'll send people to fix up the house. Meanwhile I'll have to impose myself upon you. Arigato gozaimasu for you kindness."  
  
Though they all protested at this, Tohru noted that Shouji was looking uneasy. In fact when his eye met hers, she saw definite fear in them.  
  
What is it that frightens him? Tohru wondered. Is it us?  
  
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OKAY!!! Finished Chapter 1. This fanfiction is kinda half-based on the manga and half on the anime, but sort of has a universe of it's own.  
  
I must stress that while Naname is my very own creation, Tohru is definitely going to play a prominent part in this. I like Yuki and Kyo a lot too!  
  
Oh, and a major reason I wanted to write this fanfiction is to explore some of the complex relationships going around in the Souma family. While I brought in a original character, I am certainly not going to neglect the other characters in the series, in fact I will give them. shall I say, ample show time??? ^^;;;  
  
I also plan on having shounen-ai overtones to the fanfiction. to keep in tune with the flavour of the actual series, but probably nothing explicit. But then again. ^___^';;  
  
Well I have many plans. But they're still just plans for now. What does everyone think?! Please R+R!!! 


	2. The Calm

The Gospel of Tohru  
  
Well here is part two! Thanks those who reviewed! And I realized that I forgot a disclaimer the last time (*grumble*). Anyway you guys know that any characters from Fruits Basket don't belong to me, but the rest of them do, right? Okay, without further delay, here is chapter two! And review, please.  
  
Two - The Calm  
  
When the dinner dishes were cleared away, Kyo went to his usual spot on the roof where he sat- thinking. Up high was where he did his best thinking, where the air was fresh.  
  
From now on, I'll have you breathe from higher up places.  
  
A sentence that was half a promise, and half a rejection of the lowly prejudices he was treated with. Kyo would always remember that sentence. But now shishio was somewhere across the same city in a dojo, while he was here in this accursed house.  
  
.well, he'd had this argument before and had lost. Through the most painful of trials. But there was a thought he didn't like to linger on either.  
  
It was this time that he heard the sound. When he scrambled to the edge of the roof and looked down, he saw to his shock Shouji practicing kenjutsu. with a katana. Kyo stared- and in the darkness, his eyesight was rather good. There was no doubt about it, it was an authentic Japanese sword. Where had he gotten it from?  
  
He watched quietly for a moment the flowing movements, the swordsman performing the daily practices like a holy ritual, the way the old warriors once did.  
  
And inside the house, the sound of splashing water could be heard and the clanging of dishes against stainless steel. Tohru watched as Naname rolled back the sleeves of her elaborate kimono and set about tackling the dishes with an energy that belied her looks.  
  
"Well Shouji and I have lived alone for a while now," she explained when asked. She laughed a little. "And as you can imagine, he cooks. Anything I prepare is usually inedible. So I try to make up for it by doing the dishes."  
  
"Ah," Tohru said. Then she hesitated; "Naname-san, have you always lived with Shouji? What about your family?"  
  
Naname shrugged. "We rarely see each other. It's. painful. My mother and father both died when I was very young."  
  
Tohru gasped. "I'm so sorry!"  
  
Naname said; "I can hardly remember them. But I have a twin brother- Ryo."  
  
"Twin?!" Tohru gasped. "Honto?"  
  
Naname nodded. "Truly. But we're not identical. In fact, we're quite different!" She laughed a little. "I miss him. Obassan - she keeps our family together - is taking care of him." She paused here and for a minute all that could be heard was the spashing of soapy water against dishes. Then she added softly; "I have an older sister. But she died too."  
  
Tohru felt wave of sympathy. It only seemed worse that Naname spoke the words so tonelessly, without a hint of sadness.  
  
"Don't look like that," Naname said. "I remember very little of her. She was three years older than me, but she died when she was eight. Her name was Takae. She was beautiful, I think. Well obaasan always told me so."  
  
Naname eye's had taken on a queer, distant expression. Tohru was suddenly and inexplicably reminded of Yuki's eyes that afternoon, when he'd spoken of Akito. Naname's usually clear eyes were suddenly clouded. In fact she looked positevely perplexed. But with a slight shrug of her shoulders, she banished the thought.  
  
"What about you Honda-san?" Naname asked. "How did you become involved with the Souma family?"  
  
"About a year ago my mother died." Tohru explained. "I've been living with Yuki-kun, Shigeru-san and Kyo-kun ever since. They've all been incredibly kind to me." She clasped her hands together. "Sometimes I think I don't deserve this kindness. After all I'm not talented at anything. But I've been very very happy!"  
  
Naname watched her smiling. "I hope you will always been happy, Honda-san."  
  
"Er?" Tohru was surprised. Naname laughed a little and turned back to the dishwashing. Tohru turned slightly, perking an ear. ".hm? What's that?"  
  
Naname peeled back the kitchen curtains, and they stared out into the front garden where Kyo and Shouji could be seen practicing martial arts. Shouji has laid his katana aside.  
  
"Sugoi!" Tohry exclaimed. Naname nodded then laughed. She said; "Kyo-sama is better than I expected. He lacks foresight but makes up for it with energy."  
  
"Do you know a lot about martial arts, Naname-san?" Tohru asked, remembering the time she had tried to read that book - the Spirit of a Warrior or something and had come up frightfully confused.  
  
Naname shook her head. "No, but I've come to understand a little by listening to Shouji. He has always been with me, you know." She let go of the curtains and they fell back into place. "Ever since I was young."  
  
She went back to her washing. Tohru watched her. Okaasan, Tohru thought, I seem to have found a new friend. I want to know Naname-san better.  
  
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As usual, Tohru was the first person in the house to get up as usual. Padding silently to the kitchen, she turned on the fire, preparing to fry a few eggs for breakfast.  
  
"Now let's see." she said as she opened the fridge. "What should we have. it looks as though we've run out of orange juice."  
  
"Ah, Good morning Honda-san."  
  
She turned quickly, smiling. "Yuki-kun! Good morning!"  
  
"You're always up so early." Yuki said sleepily. He wasn't much of an early person. Come to think of it.  
  
"Yuki-kun," Tohru said. "You're up awfully early this morning."  
  
"I couldn't sleep properly." Yuki said. He scratched his head absently. "I had funny dreams. There was somebody crying or something."  
  
Tohru gasped. "Was it frightening?"  
  
"Err. no." Yuki said. He rubbed at his eyes. "What are we having for breakfast?"  
  
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Naname actually ended up being the last person to get up. She emerged dressed in light blue dress just as Kyo, Yuki and Tohru were about to leave for school. Tohru noticed that her eyes were strangely unfocused and her smile drooped around the edges.  
  
"Naname," Tohru asked. "Are you quite all right?"  
  
"Oh yes." Naname said queerly, embellishing every syllable. Her lovely gray eyes focused rather - painfully - into Tohru's. She smiled. "I guess I didn't sleep very well."  
  
Shigure popped up suddenly over her shoulder. "Well you know what they say about that!"  
  
And while Kyo, Yuki and Naname sweatdropped; Tohru asked; "What?"  
  
And another few minutes were passed in an uproar as Shigure attempted an explanation and the two other Souma's raced to stop him. Eventually with a cheerful backhand wave, they disappeared out the door.  
  
Naname watched Tohru's figure grow smaller and smaller, like that of the two young men by her side. Slowly she slid the door closed. When she turned back to Shigure, her eyes had become more focused.  
  
She asked; "Have you enquired about it yet?" Shouji had come up the hallway with a soft foot.  
  
Shigure said; "Yes. I rang last night. Akito-sama would like to see you tommorow."  
  
Naname nodded. She said softly; "I see. Thank you."  
  
Shigure said suddenly; "I wonder, do you remember-" He stopped suddenly. He was staring over Naname's head into Shouji's eyes which had become unnaturally still. Then he smiled suddenly, all cheer. "Never mind! Ah, we'll just have to make do with lunch now that Tohru-kun is away! Oh and wait in longing for her return.!"  
  
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"Himitsu?" Momiji asked, his high voice questioning. "What's that?"  
  
He listened with surprising solemnity as Yuki made his explanations.  
  
"Oh, that's horrible!" He said when he had finished. "That's so terrible! How did they become that way?"  
  
Yuki shook his head. "I don't know. It's just what I've overheard. Shigure might but." He broke off here and shrugged.  
  
Hatsuharu broke off the tip of the leaf he was holding. He said without looking at the others; "It's a bit like Hatori, ne?"  
  
Yuki looked at him, surprised at the comparison. "I suppose."  
  
"You do realize," Hatsuharu was saying. "That she'd have to present herself at the Main House soon. It would be rude otherwise."  
  
Kyo raised his head. He looked disturbed. Tohru's eyes went from him to Yuki, and to her distress she drew an absolute blank there. He was still looking at Hatsuharu.  
  
"Yes," Yuki said. "I was thinking of that." He shrugged a bit and Tohru could tell he was fighting a battle to look calm. Just then a male student walked by, calling out to him and pointing at his watch. Yuki looked down. "Ah, it's time for my meeting. I'll see you in class, later."  
  
More than one pair of eyes followed his progress down the schoolyard, a slim straight figure. Tohru pursed her lips.  
  
"Well," Momiji was saying. "We'll get going too. Ja, Tohru!"  
  
"Bye Momiji." She said sweetly, and waved as Hatsuharu let him away. Then picking up her books she walked the remaining distance with Kyo.  
  
"Oi," Kyo said suddenly. "Are you okay with all this?"  
  
"Eh?" Tohru asked, surprised. "With what?"  
  
Kyo gave a careless shrug. "With Naname and Shouji and all, another person in the house. It's not bothering you?"  
  
Tohru almost jumped of her skin. "It's not my house! I have no right to say what I like or dislike, it's ever so kind of you to ask-"  
  
Kyo cut through that; "So it's all right?"  
  
Tohru softened. She smiled. "I like Naname-san very much. And Shouji-san too." A thought occurred to her. "Ano, Kyo-kun, it's not bothering you is it?"  
  
"Huh? Nah." He stared forward. "I only wanted to make sure." another shrug here. "If it's okay with you then." here he disappeared into the classroom.  
  
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In the half-darkness of the afternoon, Naname sat in Tohru's room with the curtains drawn. She whispered softly; "Shouji, my hands are cold."  
  
He grasped them softly. "Are you feeling ill, Naname-san? Perhaps we should postpone the visit?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, that won't be possible. After all, they tell tales of his temper." She shrugged here. "It would be too rude if we didn't go to pay our respects as soon as we got here. Shigure-san has been so kind."  
  
Shouji said; "I wonder."  
  
Naname looked up here. "Yes?"  
  
He shrugged, and dropped her hands. "Nothing. Have you got your medication?"  
  
She nodded. She peered at herself in the mirror, her long dark hair falling freely about her pale face. She had meant to do it in an elaborate knot, to match the kimono but it hurt her head now, as it was so heavy. She passed a hand over her eyes and gazed longingly at the light blue casual dress she had been wearing all day.  
  
But Shouji was already opening the sliding door, and she could hear the voices outside.  
  
Shigure was saying; "Ha-chan! I'm surprised that you came personally!"  
  
Naname could not hear Souma Hatori's modulated reply. She rose in a wisp of silk, emerging from the room to kneel before Hatori's strict figure. Her knees had long ceased to hurt her - it had grown numb.  
  
"I'm honoured to meet you." She said clearly. She valued the strength in her voice. It was, essentially, the only physical strength she had.  
  
Hatori looked down. All that was evident was a slender figure - girlish, childish - with extraordinarily long dark hair pooling around the bare feet. Beside her was another figure, a young man with thick shoulders and a fierce aura.  
  
"Please follow me." Hatori found himself saying. They thanked him and rose. Hatori found himself faced with grey eyes like melted steel which scanned his face once - inquisitively rather than submissively - before the chin lowered.  
  
They climbed into the car. As they did so, Naname slipped a little but Shouji caught her. Shigure said; "Perhaps you should examine her Ha-chan. Naname you don't look well-"  
  
"No!" Naname said, too quickly and too loudly. Seeing them turn to look at her, she supplied quickly; "I'm only a little tired."  
  
Before any of the others could comment, Shouji caught her by the waist and pulled her carefully, but swiftly into the car. Hatori raised his eyebrow at Shigure over the top of the car, but to his surprise Shigure refused to meet his eyes.  
  
"Well Ja then!" Shigure said brightly, waving as the car pulled away. As the car disappeared in the distance, he saw Tohru, Yuki and Kyo's forms appear out of the forest.  
  
"What happened, Shigure-san?" Tohru asked wonderingly. "Isn't that Hatori- san's car?"  
  
"Ah well yes." Shigure was forced to admit. "He's come to take Naname and Shouji to the Main House. To pay respects, that sort of thing."  
  
Tohru nodded slowly. She looked sideways at Yuki, who wordlessly pushed his way into the house. Sighing softly, she clasped her hands. I am worried about Yuki-kun. I want to know how to help him. I thought I had but the past seems to be overshadowing us more than ever.  
  
"Oi, Tohru!" Kyo.  
  
"Er, yes?!"  
  
"Why are you still standing there?"  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
It was a decadent, misused beauty. Naname always had thoughts like this when she saw traiditonal Japanese gardens but somehow here in the Souma grounds, she felt it more than ever. Everything was too ordered, too tranquil.  
  
It's as though the soul of the garden is gone, she thought morosely. I wonder when I began thinking like this? Everyone else appreciates the harmony of koi pools. But this House. this place, is unharmonious.  
  
And that conviction was strong even though she'd never ever before set foot within the Souma Main House, and now there was only birds chirping cheerfully, no sigh of any omnious prescence.  
  
"This way," Hatori was saying. They walked through a set of sliding doors and down a long hallway made of wood. The sides of the hallway were softly grey, and coming to the end, they turned and Hatori pulled open a set of exquisite paper doors.  
  
"Akito-sama, they are here." He said softly.  
  
Naname looked. The room was as ordered and patterned as the rest of the house, not lighted very well but still simple, ordinary. It was just a room, yet for some reason a thick sweat broke out on her skin suddenly. The room was empty, but through the paper doors leading to the veranda she could see a dark shape sitting.  
  
Naname bid the thumping of her heart to stop. It was innane, she thought, when she had never been here before. Yet they tell tales of his temper.  
  
Her soft feet made no sound as she padded through the room, but Shouji made sure he made ample sound behind her. Naname pulled slowly open the sliding door to the veranda and fell to her knees on the threshold.  
  
"Greetings Akito-sama, Head of the Souma House," she said formally. "I, the lowly Himitsu Naname am honored to meet you."  
  
Beside her Shouji made similar salutations.  
  
Akito stirred a little. Very slowly, he turned. And Naname was, for some unexpected reason, driven into nausea by the unexpected appearance of a tiny white bird on his finger.  
  
------------------------------------------------------  
  
Well 'tis all for now. Thanks again my reviewers:  
  
Clow Angel: My first reviewer! Thank you! And yes, do keep reading please. Hopeless: Yes, well I do hope so.  
  
And please again, review everybody. 


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